Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

8 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 5, 1961 Organize to Fight D.S.T. in Colorado Special to THE DAILY DENVER, Oct. 4.-The Colorado Association for Standard Time was organized here, composed of representtatives from the Farm Bureau Federation, Denver Motor Court Ass'n., State Grange, Bowling Alley Proprietors Ass'n., and the Colorado Council of Motion Picture Organizations, along with other groups from the state area. The organization intends to fight the Daylite Saving Time proposal which is to be voted upon in the general election in November. Same proposal was previously defeated in the state legislature two years ago. Sufficient signatures on petitions were secured to insure the proposal being placed in the November ballot. The Association for Standard Time will, no doubt, argue that changing the clock would result in utter confusion due to the fact that all of the other states which surround Colorado remain on Standard Time. The Magnificent Seven ToddAO Theatres Total Magna Reports (Continued from page 1 ) Jan. 31, 1961, will exceed those for the past fiscal year. Income from film rentals, interest, etc., totaled $2,770,336 for the six months this year as compared to $4,966,733 for the previous same period. Skouras said "South Pacific" had grossed $20,000,000 through July 31 this year, including about $100,000 from distribution of the 35mm version in England. This is only a small portion of the sum expected from that version in that territory, he said, and in other foreign territories the 35mm version is not yet in distribution, but expected to be started in the fall. Skouras also reported that the company is making payments well in advance of maturity dates on the $4,000,000 borrowed in May, 1959, to pay the balance owing on 6 per cent debentures. This debt has been reduced to $2,400,000, he said. AMPA Awards ( Continued from page 1 ) the film company, or film company official judged to have most benefitted the industry during the past 12 months. A third will be for the outstanding showman; a fourth to the advertising man or the advertising campaign judged to be the years best; the fifth to the person or organization in the service area of the industry— the craft or trade association— judged worthy of such recognition. Montgomery said that the award project, which has been under consideration by AMPA for many years, was finalized last week by an AMPA steering committee meeting with him in New York. Subcommittes have been selected, he said, to make the selection of the initial recipients in each category. He said that each recipient will receive a scroll fisting his achievements (continued from page i) 300 Worldwide to Date Japanese film called "The Seven Samurai," released here briefly in art theatres a few years back. That picture told the story of an incident in 16th century Japan involving a peasant village harassed by bandits. In desperation the villagers hired seven warriors to protect them; the latter organized the defenses of the village and ultimately succeeded in wiping out all the brigands in spite of overwhelming odds. Somebody (it is not clear who from the credits, but possibly scriptwriter William Roberts) conceived the idea of transposing the story to Mexico, making the villagers Mexican peasants and having them cross the border to the U.S. to secure seven professional gunmen to ward off native bandits. Details have been ingeniouslv switched here and there for the sake of logic, but the central situation is still the same. Those who saw the Japanese film will have an added interest in this one to compare what alternations were made and why. What it all goes to prove, perhaps, is that a good storv is still a good story and interchangeable as to locale. It also goes to prove that there can be more than one approach to telling the same tale. Sturges is the man who made "Bad Dav at Black Rock," among other good westerns, and it is not surprising that he emphasizes these elements in "The Magnificent Seven"— strong characterizations and the moral implications of the story. Without giving the appearance of sermonizing he eloquently gets across the themes that man must take a strong stand against evil and that there are varieties of courage and fear. This Sturges handles as well as he does the exciting battle scenes in which the bandits are routed by the gunmen, return in a surprise maneuver, and are finally destroyed. The casting is interesting, if not successful in every case. Yul Brvnner seemed an odd choice for the leader of the gunmen, but once the noveltv of his exotic features and accent in a western setting wears off, he is able to provide the effect of quiet fortitude. His companions are a studv in contrasts: Steve McQueen (of tv's "Wanted Dead or Alive") is easygoing and pleasant; Charles Bronson is staunch and brave; Robert Vaughn, cowardly and aloof; Brad Dexter, rugged and avaricious; and James Coburn, stoic and resourceful. The seventh gunman is portrayed bv Hoist Buchholz, the voung German actor seen here previously only in foreign films. Given the best part in "The Magnificent Seven," he proceeds to run awav with the acting honors. He plays a headstrong and hot-tempered fellow in contrast to his more even-natured companions, and he performs with both vitality and charm. Among the other actors Eli Wallach is outstanding as the evil and crude leader of the brigands, and Vladimir Sokoloff is good as the old wise man of the village. Rosenda Monteros is pretty and appealing as a young Mexican girl who has a brief romance with Buchholz. All the technical credits are top-notch from the photographv of Charles Lang, Jr., to the rousing musical score of Elmer Bernstein. Running time, 126 minutes. Release, in October. Richard Gertner which prompted his selection. It is also likely that AMPA will create and name a special trophy for the service award program. MGM Sets Exhibitor Meets on 'Butterfield' Metro Goldwyn Mayer's intensive local campaigns for the early November openings of "Butterfield 8" are under way with exhibitor meetings this week in Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington. Al Cohan of M-G-M's home office publicity and advertising department completed a series of promotion meetings in Boston yesterday and is in Philadelphia today and tomorrow for similar sessions. In both cities, he is also seeing the key local press representatives, and developing department store promotions, setting special advertising campaigns, and reviewing all facets of promotion for the picture. Mike Bergher on Tour TOKYO, Oct. 4. Mike Bergher, vice-president of Columbia Pictures International, supervising the territories of Latin America, the Far East and Australasia, is here on the first leg of his tour of Columbia branches in the Far East. Other stops on Bergher's tour will include Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and Bangkok, as well as smaller branch cities in the surrounding territory. Embassy Signs Ruggiero Film editor Gene Ruggiero has been signed by Joseph E. Levine to supervise the editing on all forthcoming product of Embassy Pictures. Rufgiero, who won the Oscar for editing "Around the World in 80 Days," is currently working on "Thief of Bagdad," now before the cameras in Tunis. Theatres equipped for Todd-AO at the present time number almost 300 worldwide, George P. Skouras. president of Magna Pictures, reported yesterday. He said aggressive efforts are being made toward production of more pictures in the wide-screen process. He noted that 20th-Fox now has "Cleopatra" in production and that Magna itself mill make a film based on the life of Constantine. Negotiations are in process for issuance of additional licenses by Todd-AO for such pictures as "State Fair," "The Greatest Story Ever Told," and others. Todd-AO Profit (Continued from page 1 ) M. Sugar, who is also vice-president in charge of sales for Magna Pictures; and Fred Hynes, appointed vice-president and general manager in charge of studio and West Coast operations. Hynes has been associated with ToddAO since its inception as director of sound operations. Re-elected as officers were George P. Skouras, president; George J. Solomon, secretary; and Martin Kasman, assistant treasurer. The board issued a license to 20th Century-Fox for "Cleopatra," the seventh picture to be produced in the Todd-AO system. The board also authorized the issuance of a license to Magna Pictures for its forthcoming production of a motion picture which will portray the life and times of Constantine and Helena of the Boman Empire. Runaway Production (Continued from page 1 ) had made "Exodus" entirely in Israel and Syria out of necessity, he had never made a picture out of the U.S. unless it was absolutely called for and that he always took American stars ad technicians to work on the productions. "The industry is on dangerous and un-American ground" when people are allowed to tell producers where they may make a picture, he said. America needs the European market to survive, he warned, whereas no country really depends on the U.S. to show a profit. If it were to come to a showdown, America, which is the most international of all motion picture producers, can only suffer by making an issue of singling out and attacking foreign background films, he said. Gets Fox Theatre LONGMONT, Col., Oct. 4.-Richard Klein, formerly general manager of the Black Hills Amusement Co., with headquarters in Rapid City, S. D., has purchased the Fox Theatre here from Fox Inter-Mountatin Theatres. Klein will move his family from Bapid City to Longmont and will take over the operation of the theatre, effective Nov. 1.